ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · bay · lean · pitch · kick · object · staff · branch

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. staff — employees
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lean — to bend
  10. object — a thing
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rash — hasty
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. branch — a division
  16. staff — employees
  17. kick — in football
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lean — thin
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rash — a series

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com